A snip of an article about the realtionship between the funk of James Brown and afro beat of fellow legend Fela Kuti by my dude Jeremy Pam:

"No sooner did Fela begin to develop highlife-jazz, however, than a musical tidal wave swept across Africa (as well as the African diaspora worldwide): James Brown. By the mid-1960s, James Brown was already recognized as a titan of rhythm and blues, "Soul Brother No. 1." With "Out of Sight" in 1964 and "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" the following year, however, Brown took a radical turn away from traditional R&B/soul. Largely abandoning traditional song structure, Brown instead increasingly foregrounded complex, ever-changing arrangements of simple rhythmic patterns or vamps played by his razor-sharp horn and guitar sections, all over polyrhythmic foundations laid down by his drummers Clyde Stubblefield, Jabo Starks and Melvin Parker (brother of the late Columbia Law professor Kellis Parker).

Brown's famous account of the making of "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" in his autobiography is perhaps the best description of this seminal development in American popular music: "I was still called a soul singer but musically I had already gone off in a different direction. I had discovered that my strength was not in the horns, it was in the rhythm. I was hearing everything, even the guitars, like they were drums. I had found out how to make it happen."

Alfred "Pee Wee" Ellis to introduce congas into Brown's band and was an inspiration behind the arrangement of many of the Brown's most rhythmically innovative compositions, such as "There Was a Time," Give It Up Or Turnit a Loose," and "Super Bad."

The result of these revolutionary musical experiments – which eventually became known as funk – at first seemed shockingly "unmusical" to many white Americans (and to some black Americans as well). In Africa, by contrast, although prompting similar incomprehension and disapproval among a few self-appointed cultural gatekeepers, James Brown's new sound almost immediately became wildly popular, and in West Africa soon began to undercut the audience for highlife.

In addition to its symbolic appeal as a newly assertive expression of black Americans' ongoing struggle for human rights (in such songs as "Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud"), some musicologists have explained the African popularity of Brown's music as stemming from certain structural commonalities with traditional West African rhythmic patterns, particularly variations on the generic West African patterns known as "clave" (which are also central to Afro-Cuban and other Afro-Carribean musical styles). For Fela, the wild popularity of James Brown's music posed a significant challenge.... "

A Grim Toll

In a span of a few hours, 2,973 people were killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. In a span of 45 months, the number of American troops killed in Iraq has exceeded that grim toll.

The milestone in Iraq came on Christmas, nearly four years after the war began, according to a count by The Associated Press.

President Bush has said the Iraq war is part of the United States' post-Sept. 11 approach to threats abroad: Taking the offensive against enemies before they could harm Americans.

There has not been any credible evidence linking Iraq to the Sept. 11 attacks.

"The president believes that every life is precious and he grieves for each one that is lost," deputy White House press secretary Scott Stanzel said Tuesday. "The hardest decision the president has ever made has been to send our young men and women in uniform into harm's way.

"The president will ensure that their sacrifice was not made in vain."

Many enlisted because they felt it was a way to battle international terrorism in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.

Jonathan Lootens, from upstate New York, joined the Army, telling family members: "This is something I have to do."

The 25-year-old sergeant was killed during his second tour of duty when a roadside bomb went off near his vehicle in the city of Kirkuk. His father says more than enough Americans have died in the conflict.

"I want the boys to come home, you know," Lootens said. "Personally, I can't see where we're really accomplishing anything over there anymore."

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Hard Questions About Hip Hop

"A new documentary by 36-year-old filmmaker Byron Hurt, “Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes,” questions the violence, degradation of women and homophobia in much of rap music.

Scheduled to go on the air in February as part of the PBS series Independent Lens, the documentary is being shown now at high schools, colleges and Boy’s Clubs, and in other forums, as part of an unusual public campaign sponsored by the Independent Television Service, which is based in San Francisco and helped finance the film.

The intended audiences include young fans, hip-hop artists and music industry executives — black and white — who profit from music and videos that glorify swagger and luxury, portray women as sex objects, and imply, critics say, that education and hard work are for suckers and sissies.

What concerns Mr. Hurt and many black scholars is the domination of the hip-hop market by more violent and sexually demeaning songs and videos — an ascendancy, the critics say, that has coincided with the growth of the white audience for rap and the growing role of large corporations in marketing the music." (click here for more)

Related:Ice-T's wife Coco on the cover of this month's Smooth magazine (!).

Bonus audio: James Brown "Get Up I Feel Like Being A Sex Machine (Part 1)" [MP3: YSI | zshare stream/download]

Pete RockUnderground Classics - don't ask, don't question. Just go cop this incredible collection of overlooked and unreleased Pete Rock productions. I'll try to throw a track or two up later but check these MP3's from Rapster records for now: Pete Rock Interview | Pete Rock Live (Be kind: Right click and save to play)

While you're waiting for that extra-fat white dude to come bustin' through the ceiling....

Got the parents in town so posting is gonna be mad spotty for the next while but I'll refrain from wishing folks a happy holidays just yet in case I find time to throw more stuff up. Happy Hannukah to those celebrating that though.

Celebrate Christmas with [MF] Doom on "Adult Swim" - WTF?! Doom's talking about Santa being extra fat but it looks like he's gotta lay off the egg nog based on that gut he's got on display! (more: Part 2 here | via the overlooked Oh Word)

It's Not Just Sean Bell....

Like my homegirl Ndidi glumly commented about the total lack of news coverage or active police investigating of 5 shootings, including I believe at least one homicide, in the immediate vicinity of her new Bed-Stuy neighborhood over just the past two weeks: "It's like all of our [black] lives have no value." And this chick is the most idealistic, optimistic person you'll ever meet. For her to have become this jaded in less than 3 months of living there is just sad.

"So let me see if I have this straight: We invaded a country for whatever reason du jour (WMDs, Saddam an evil dictator, 9/11, terrorists, etc.), without the people at the top having the foreknowledge of the history of the area or the difference between various Muslim sects, took out the relatively secular (although admittedly dictator-based) government in favor of a far more Islamic (but democratically elected) government and continued to occupy said country, fighting in some cases FOR the Shia (being assisted by our sworn enemies, Iran) and against the insurgent Sunnis (that our allies, the Saudis, support). Have I got that right?

Anyone else thinking that the people in charge do not know their ass from their elbow? Feel safer in that "War on Terror"?"

Meanwhile Rumsfeld offered this gem in response to the question, "With what you know now, what might you have done differently in Iraq?": "I don’t think I would have called it the war on terror." (details here)

But to end: bonus terror in the homeland news - Feds to Pay $2M to Man Wrongly Accused of Terrorism.

Me and some "hip hop" bloggers choose the year's best albums. To explain my choices: the mandate was to pick albums released between Nov '05 - Nov '06 so a lot of late-released album weren't eligble for voting. Believe me, if I was doing the list now Nas and Jeezy would probably be on there.

On top of that, I wasn't as impressed with a lot of blogger/crtical faves (Roots, Clipse, Ghostface etc.) as others while there were some exceptional mixtapes released which I felt deserved recognition. I think in the current internet age where pre-release versions of albums are often better than the official versions that make it to retail or artists seem to do their best work on "street albums" where they are free of label contraints of having to make "hit records" or Business Affairs depts and record execs who cock-block on the side-artist clearances, only talking about standard albums seems basically irrelevant. It also doesn't take into account the amazing work real DJ/Producers (or "mixtape artists" as Green Lantern calls them) like Green, Mick Boogie and Clinton Sparks are doing in elevating mixtapes beyond being just a bunch of exclusives strung together. MP3 DJ's: watch your backs! Hip Hop ain't dead - it's just evolving. Stay tuned: 2007 should be interesting....

Finally, I'm not much of a sports nut but I do know the Knicks have been sucking real bad this season but that brawl near the end of the game against the Denver Nuggets this weekend is a new low even for them. (spotted via Rizoh)

Sunday, December 17, 2006

Real Talk on Tha Blue Carpet Treatment

The official retail release version of Tha Blue Carpet Treatment is cool but the real heatrock was the advance version that leaked a few weeks back and included this tribute track to executed reformed gang leader Stanley "Tookie" Williams.

I haven't delved into the official release too much yet so, at the risk of raising the "wrath" of Snoop fanatics out there with any misspeaks right now like I did the Starks Stans recently, I will hesitantly offer that I'm pretty sure this track (along with a few others that probably came from advance mixtapes or didn't clear samples etc.) didn't make it onto the final album which is too bad 'cos it features some of Snoop's hottest spitfire in a while like this sample line: "Sangfroid, that's the word and the lesson/For those unaware that means I'm calm under pressure." Need I say more? He took me by surprise with that one and I'm a fan - I didn't even know Snoop had vocab like that (ever)! Click to listen & recall why son is one of the best to ever do it.

DJ Clue feat. Snoop "Almost F-cked" [MP3: YSI | zshare stream/download] - from The Professional, Pt. 3. Snoop almost goes full-on hip house/Baltimore club - on a DJ Clue album?? Wigsters rejoice!! TP3 album is actually aight featuring top to bottom bangers with very little fast forward material, but does anyone care about this dude any more and like one wag said on the XXL site, what exactly does Clue (like Diddy)do on these albums anyway? Well at least Diddy "raps."More: Clue MySpace.

Saturday, December 16, 2006

Just a thought....

The movie What Black Men Think is looking ESSENTIAL!

So British PM and long-time Bush lapdog Tony Blair supposedly recently said in reference to that bonkers Holocaust-Denial Conference in Iran: "I mean, to go and invite the former head of the Ku Klux Klan to a conference in Tehran which disputes the millions of people who died in the Holocaust ... what further evidence do you need that this regime is extreme? [emphasis added]"

What? You mean "regimes" like the State of Louisiana that voted this dude to the office of state representitve? Wow....

DJ Shogun's 50 Shots- Every Bullet Has A Name On It mixtape - a response to the senseless murder of Sean Bell by NYC Police Officers featuring music from Grafh, KRS-ONE, NWA, Ice-T, Jay-Z, Nas, Jadakiss, Mos Def, and newcomers, Sekani and Driis aka Idris Elba. Each song was carefully selected to either speak on police brutality, government corruption, and many other social ills that plague society today. Available presumably via his website or MySpace though I couldn't find exactly where.

Last word (for today) on the Sean Bell story via 1115.org: "Live in sin; don’t get married. If you must get married, don’t have a bachelor party. If you insist on having a bachelor party, don’t do it at a strip club. If you have to do it at a strip club, do it at noon. But the most effective thing you can do to stay alive in America today: try not to be black. [emphasis added, natch]"

Friday, December 15, 2006

It's a week away....

I'll try to throw up some old school mp3 links later but for now let me just say this: the very old school-inspired 16 year old Brooklyn phenom Lil Mama is the MUH'F-CKIN' TRUTH!!!! I thought I told you before: it's YBI all day! Just watch....

Lil Mama - I can't even give you mp3's of the REAL joints - "Lip Gloss" & "Make It Hot," both of which Enuff has been bangin' the sh-t out of on Hot 97 this week - yet! But check out this freestyle to get just a taste of why I'm calling her, pound-for-pound, the best new MC in the game right now....

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Hip Hop: Still Shinin'....

So stop trying to fight it even if others are exploiting it in the worse way. But since we're on the topic, peep the new book from my dudes Reggie and Gabe:

"What can you say about bling? It’s loud, it’s flashy, it’s expensive—but most of all, bling has to be seen to be believed. And so connoisseurs Reggie Osse and Gabriel Tolliver bring you Bling: The Hip Hop Jewelry Book, a stunning collection of the wildest and the brightest in outlandish jewels. Bling is the decisive showcase of all things bling, a lavishly illustrated look at this hugely influential cultural phenomenon. From $100,000 gold and diamond covered pistols to platinum teeth to jewel-encrusted goblets (aka “pimp cups”), if it’s out there, it’s in here." (click here to read more)

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Another contest: win Stephanie McKay show tickets

Why wouldn't you want to be at the Canal Room on Monday??

We're on fiya, people. Cats are recognizing the movement so here's more free sh-t for you to cop - get down or lay down!

Anyway, long time readers will know I've been a booster for Stephanie McKay from day one. For those who ain't knowin' yet, she's a Bronx-based soul singer, produced by Geoff Barrow of Portishead, whose unique take on soul music has been chronically slept on for literally years now.

But no more: homegirl is playing the Canal Room here in NYC this Monday (Dec. 18) and I have one pair of tickets for anyone who can answer the following question:

What is the name of the track (and who recorded it) that is sampled in "Take Me Over" from her current self-titled EP?

Answers by email to the address at top left (subject line: "McKay contest"). Contest will close Friday (12/15) 10am EST. A winner will be selected at random from all correct answers.

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

More Fish In Stores Today...

And to celebrate I got 3 (count 'em) sets of the album on CD and the veryfly promo t-shirt to give away. Other sites gave away just the shirts but I'm one-uppping them clowns! (Just kidding. Shouts to Rizoh and Eskay.) NOTE: the contest giveaway is now CLOSED!

I'ma keep it basic* to enter but you must be absolutely correct in your responses to qualify to win. As many long-term readers know, I'm a major fan of the classic Ghost album Supreme Clientele so answer the following questions to win:

1. What is the name of the notorious Queens gangster who inspired the album title of possibly Ghost's finest collective album moment?

2. On what track from the album is the term "Supreme Clientele" referenced in the rhymes specifically?

Emails with answers (subject line: "More Fish t-shirt/CD contest") to the address at the above left. Winners will picked this Monday (12/18) AM at random. (NOTE: include your name and mailing address too to save me one extra step if you win, thanks!)

Bonus:

Ghostface"Outta Town Sh-t" - one of my favorite tracks on the new album along with...

(* The second question has been revised and updated again due to Wally Champ nerds pointing out to me the impreciseness and incorrectness of my original questions. I guess if I claim this is one of my favorite albums, I should know it a little better and be absolutelycorrect in how I frame the questions!)

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CONTESTS!!!!

Win tickets to see DJ Gilles Peterson Live at Havana Club's Havana Cultura Festival in Toronto on Aug. 21 - CLICK the image above for details!!!!